The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder previously took on the Barcelona star in last year's Champions League, when the Argentine netted a stunning five goals in one game.

Nevertheless, despite the memory of Messi's impressive performance last term, the gifted forward will not be the only player Bender will be keeping a close eye on.

"Of course, I am really looking forward to this game. But not just because we will be facing Messi. He has the ability to single-handedly decide games and has extraordinary qualities," Bender told the official DFB website.

"However, he is only one component of a very strong team. A match against Argentina is something very special. They have a big reputation and a lot of quality in their squad.

"They have some outstanding individuals such as Messi, [Gonzalo] Higuain and [Angel] Di Maria. they struggled a bit at the 2010 World Cup, but they are back now."